


Scenes from the Hawk & Dove

by JOBrien42



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drinking & Talking, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-08-26 02:16:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16672861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JOBrien42/pseuds/JOBrien42
Summary: After their vacation, C.J. invites Josh & Donna to join the old gang at the Hawk & Dove for drinks and long overdue conversation.





	1. Back in the World (Josh and C.J.)

“Joshua Lyman!”

He’d just gotten into his office after a blissful week in Hawaii. Sam had been using it during his vacation, leaving it uncharacteristically neat and organized. His Blackberry was plugged in on a small table in a corner, atop a large pile of colored folders. There was also a dizzying stack of pink message slips. 

His hand froze as he reached for his phone when the enraged voice of one of his closest friends reached him.

“Why, hello Claudia Jean, yes my vacation was wonderful, but I’m happy to be back. How are things in my impending office? Are you done with the superglue and other assorted pranks?”

“Don’t even think about trying to charm your way out of this, buddy boy,” she snarled as she shut the door loudly behind her, “You - you! - go off for a vacation and leave the President-Elect alone to cause mischief on the international stage. Mischief, I might add, that I’ve had to clean up! What were you thinking?”

“I don’t tell President-Elect Santos what to do,” Josh pointed out. “The easy way to tell this is that we aren’t talking about President-Elect Vinick right now and you aren’t riding some other poor schlep who’d just taken his first vacation, like, ever.”

C.J. began to speak, then caught a look in his eye. “What happened to you?”

“I got a little sun,” he said, his voice growing worried. “Why? Do I look sick or something? Are there liver spots? I mean, I haven’t felt this good… ever really.”

“I didn’t recognize you,” she said with mock concern, “not without the bags under your eyes and the vein in your forehead about to explode.” She looked him over. “All right, Romeo, spill. You went to Hawaii?”

“You knew?

“I have my sources,” she answered. “So Hawaii. With Donna.”

“Well I was going to take Speaker Haffley, but he was too busy trying to redefine marriage as a union between a congressman and a lobbyist’s money. Fortunately, Donna had an opening in her schedule and could fill in.”

“You and Donna. Together for a week in Hawaii.” C.J. found herself unable to contain her smile.

Josh smiled back, “Me and Donna. Together, as you say, for a week, in Hawaii.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m not delighted for you two,” she said, “but if you ever - ever - hurt that girl again, I won’t be the only one who brings the wrath of the Almighty raining down upon that thick skull of yours.”

Josh’s face grew serious, “Never again.”

She hugged him, “I’m glad you’re back. So glad, in fact, that I will give you an hour to try to dig through the mess the man you got elected has made while you were gone before I yell at you again. Capice?”

He nodded and looked forlornly at the amount of material he had to dig through.

“And also - come by the Hawk & Dove around 11 tonight. Bring Donna and Sam. We need to celebrate.”

“Who’s we?” Josh asked.

“I was thinking me, Charlie, Will… we’ll get the old gang back together.”

Inspiration struck him, “Y’know, maybe you could invite some of the others. Ed and Larry. Carol, Ginger, Margaret. The folks that saw us through it all. See if they want to come.”

C.J. peered at him. “I’ll do that. The more the merrier.” She turned to leave, but as she grabbed the doorknob, she turned back to say, “I really am happy for you both. I didn’t think it would ever really happen, but I was rooting for you.”

“Thanks.”

“You screw this up, I’m still gonna have to kick your ass so hard though.”

\---

Note: I'm very sad we never saw C.J.'s response to Josh & Donna after she seemed heavily invested in it in "The Cold".


	2. Making Dad Proud (Josh and Margaret)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh talks with Margaret about her future.

Josh and Donna arrived at the bar together, having taken a cab from the OEOB. He paid the driver and then ran behind the back to get her door, only to nearly run into her as she exited herself. She laughed a bit and took his hand, leading him to the bar.

As they entered, they spotted their friends seated at benches surrounding a long table. Josh looked down at their intertwined hands, and then at Donna, his eyes questioning. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and pulled him forward.

“Donna! Josh!” Carol was waving to them, beckoning them to join them at the table. She was seated next to Ginger, with Ed and Larry on that side. Across the table were Will, Charlie and Margaret. They exchanged handshakes and kisses and sat down, with Will sliding over to give them room.

“C.J. is on the way,” Charlie said, “She had a late briefing.”

Carol and Ginger were pressing Donna about everything she’d been through in the year since she left, congratulating her on her success. Every once in a while one of them would glance over at Josh with an inscrutable look in their eyes, causing him to eventually get up and walk over to Margaret.

Josh sat down next to the quirky redhead who had managed to run the Chief of Staff’s office with aplomb, “How are you doing?”

Margaret regarded him, “I’m doing O.K.. It’s been hard.”

“I meant to reach out to you. I know how much Leo meant to you.”

“Yeah,” she said.

“You and I were never close,” he said, “We both loved him, but… I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“Donna used to complain to me about you and you knew it,” Margaret said sagely. “You thought I was always mad at you for how poorly you treated her.”

Josh looked at her, unsure if this was her being insightful or just weird. “I didn’t treat her all that much differently than… you know.” They both knew Josh had taken cues from Leo’s dynamic with her for what was acceptable with Donna.

“Yes, but Leo didn’t love me,” she said. Before Josh could protest, she added, “I mean, not like you loved Donna and she loved you.”

He began to argue, but found he lacked the strength. “I swear I didn’t know,” he said, his voice barely carrying above the din in the bar. “It took a long time.”

“You’ve always been a bit of a doofus,” she said. “It can even be endearing at times.”

“Yeah?”

“Not as often as you think, though,” said Margaret. “Mostly it’s annoying.”

“Yeah,” he shrugged, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words, “Listen, Margaret, I don’t know what your plans are for January. I can’t ask you to stay - I know you only worked for C.J. because Leo asked and I know how difficult I can be, and we aren’t, y’know, close.”

“Donna asked me to stay on and help you, Josh,” Margaret said. “She said you wouldn’t be comfortable asking.”

Josh let out a chuckle, “I was about to ask if you wanted to work for her. If, that is, if you even want to stay in the White House.”

“I don’t understand,” she said with a slight shake of her head.

“You and Donna are close. You work well together. I think you may enjoy a slightly less stressful couple years. I know it’s been rough on you.”

Margaret looked at him. “So you don’t want me to stay on?”

“God, I,” he paused. “I would love to keep you on. I … just think you’d be happier with her.”

“Josh, you’re being a little nutty here.”

He looked at her, and the large collection of White House staffers - his friends - around them. He stood up and walked, his eyes imploring her to follow. Margaret got up and walked towards him with that tense gait he’d seen so many times trailing after Leo haranguing him about his next meeting.

He took her to the bar, and ordered a couple drinks. “Listen, Margaret. I’m not sure about this. Me, being Chief of Staff.”

“It’s what you always wanted.”

“Yeah, but,” he struggled for the words. “Leo told me - years ago, when I’d tagged the Secretary of Agriculture to sit out the State of the Union - he told me what President Bartlet said about picking your Chief of Staff. He said your Chief of Staff should be your best friend. I’m not. Not for Matt Santos. I got him here, and he’s asked me to serve, and I will. But I can’t forget he was almost convinced to dump me near the end of the campaign. I just… I’m scared that I’m gonna screw everything up and he’ll ask for the letter, and then whoever replaces me brings in their own you. Then we’d both be out on our asses. I owe Leo too much to do that to you.”

She looked at him, taking a sip of her drink. “I could be persuaded to stay - for a little while. Just to help you get used to things.” She smiled, “I owe Leo too much to not do that for you.”

“You don’t want to work for Donna?”

Margaret laughed, “It’d be a little weird.”

“And she asked you to work for me?” Josh was perplexed.

“Yes, on two conditions,” she said, “One, that I never bring you coffee. And two, that I promise not to fall in love with you.”

He arched an eyebrow.

“You know, the long hours, working closely with each other. And I did hear that you can be rather romantic to your subordinates,” Margaret said, giving him a sisterly kiss on the cheek. “But really, you aren’t my type.”

“As ego-crushing as that may be,” said Josh, “I think I’m all right with it.”

She gave him a warm look, “Just so you know, we - me, Carol, Ginger, even some of the past assistants like Bonnie and Cathy who know you two - we’re very happy for you and Donna.”

“But I need to treat her right or you’ll band together to make my life a living hell. Especially if you’re my assistant,” he concluded.

“That’s approximately correct, yes,” Margaret said, “I’m glad we have this understanding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leo loved both Josh and Margaret as if they were his own children, but their interactions in the show are almost always brief. I've seen a lot of fiction where she stays on as Assistant to the Chief of Staff, and I wanted to explore that.


	3. An Appointment Kept (Donna and C.J.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna didn't throw C.J. a bone what had happened with Josh during "The Cold", and C.J. finally has time to correct that oversight.

C.J. came through the doors to the Hawk & Dove like a woman on a mission. She stopped by the bar and ordered a double Scotch, downing it in a gulp, and then moved over to the table where everyone was laughing and reminiscing. Ed was awkwardly flirting with Ginger, while Larry and Will were diving into the practicality of deficit reduction in the next administration as Charlie rolled his eyes at them. 

Josh got up from next to Margaret, walked over to her and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, “How’s it going?”

“It’s complicated. And classified,” C.J. answered. “Where’s Sam?”

“Out with his finacée,” Josh answered, “He said that he owed her a romantic night out after having to cancel twice while I was on vacation, but I think it’s because she’s a little intimidated by spending an evening with a collection of White House staffers.”

“That’s only because she hasn’t met us yet,” C.J. said, “but I suppose it’s better to have someone hold us in awe instead of contempt for just a little while longer.”

“Can I get you anything?” Josh said, indicating the bar.

“No, thank you,” she said, with a shake of her head, “I just need a moment with your assist- your girl- oh hell, I don’t know what to call her in relation to you, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to Donna.”

C.J. walked over to where Donna and Carol were chatting, saying to her former assistant, “Carol, if you’ll excuse me, Donna and I have a long overdue appointment.”

Donna looked a little startled as she was hurried through the crowd towards the bathrooms.

The door to the ladies room had just swung closed when C.J. turned to Donna. “You were holding out on me! I can’t believe you’d do that!”

Donna was a little taken aback, “When?”

“You said it was an awkward moment meant to be ignored!”

“O.K., I miscalculated,” Donna smiled.

“You think?” C.J. teased. “So I need details.”

“You really don’t-“

“I didn’t mean those details,” the taller woman said with a wince, frustration in her voice. “When? What changed?”

“He’d kissed me that morning - when we found we were tied with Vinick. Just one of his ‘things went well and I want to celebrate with my friends’ kisses.” Donna knew that C.J. had been on the receiving end of those before, “But we froze and then we kissed again. Like, really, really kissed.”

“And?”

“And then the Congressman - President-Elect, I mean, but Congressman at the time - was coming and we barely broke free in time,” she said, embarrassment creeping in. “Josh tried apologizing later; he thought he’d been inappropriate.”

“He’s such a doofus.”

“It gets worse,” Donna said.

C.J. looked exasperated. “How?”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m telling you this,” she said, burying her face in her hands. “O.K. later that night, at the hotel, I tried passing him the key to my room.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did,” Donna admitted, “but someone else grabbed it before he could and gave it back to me.”

“And he didn’t knock?” C.J. asked.

“He didn’t. He got stuck in his own head again,” she sighed. “And so we went back to awkward moments.”

“Until when? Really, you did get together, right?” C.J. had spent over a week wondering about this, and her patience was done.

“You won’t believe me.”

C.J. started to complain, then noticed that the young woman’s expression had turned somber. “Donna?”

“It was the night before Election Day, C.J., everyone was pairing off, and suddenly it was just me and Josh, and I went for it. And it was wonderful and then it was awkward, but he was very sweet. I left to get us coffee,” she paused to see C.J. arch an eyebrow, “and when I got back everyone had piled into his room because no one could sleep.”

C.J. nodded. “You got Josh to think of something other than polls and voter mobilization on Election Day. I’m impressed.”

Donna knew she was blushing, “I… uh… after the first round of exit polls, too.”

C.J. Cregg looked at her, mouth agape. 

“You know what Josh is like on election day. Well he was a thousand times worse this year. He was beyond stressed, he hadn’t had gotten more than a few hour’s sleep a night in so long, he was starting to freak out over some polls. It was just… burning off nervous energy. It didn’t have to mean anything.”

The older woman looked at her friend, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It meant something, Donna.”

“But it didn’t have to,” she insisted. “After everything we’d been through, clawing our way back to one another, it was good just to be part of each other’s lives again.” She sighed, “And even with that Josh still flipped out and Lou yelled at him and his head was going to explode and then…”

“And then Leo.” C.J. finished for her. Leo’s death had devastated them all. She’d had to tell the President his best friend had died. She remembered the grief in Donna’s voice when she’d called, and knew she’d already had to break the news to Josh that day, just as she had to tell him about his father eight years prior.

Donna nodded. “I thought Josh would break. He was stammering out directions, trying to do his job, but he could barely think. Another tragedy. And C.J., I had this selfish thought that he was going to associate us being together with Leo dying, that he would blame it on us. On me. And I hated I could even think like that when this wonderful man had just died.”

C.J. put her arms on Donna’s shoulders, “Oh, sweetie, I know you. You knew Josh wasn’t at his best and you were trying to handle all the contingencies. It doesn’t make you a bad person if you thought of yourself. I think you know you’re important to him too.”

Donna managed to force a smile in response. “I can’t begin to explain how that day felt. Sleeping with Josh. Losing Leo. Winning the election. Holding Josh as we grieved. Hugging him as we won. And yes, it had meant something.”

“And then Hawaii?”

“Hawaii was wonderful. We talked.”

“More than that, I hope,” C.J. laughed.

“You didn’t want those details,” Donna replied, “but we had a lot to discuss. A year of hell, he called it.”

C.J. found herself overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility. “I’m sorry, Donna, for what I said, that time during the crash.”

“You weren’t wrong.”

“I was, actually,” C.J. said, “I’d watched you pine after him for six years. I didn’t think he felt the same, not until Gaza. I didn’t want you waiting until after our time in the White House only to find he could never think of you as anything but an assistant. You deserved so much more.”

“He still wouldn’t have allowed himself to love me and let me love him, not where we were when you said those things.”

“I was still pretty awful to you,” said C.J., “I… I’m glad you two figured things out. I’m really glad you got to grow as much as you had by the time you did. Don’t you ever let him hold you back again.”

Donna smiled, “Thanks, C.J., I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C.J. was very harsh to Donna in "No Exit", so maybe she deserves a little obfuscation in "The Cold". But "No Exit" may have been key to getting Donna to grow enough to meet her former mentor on equal footing, so I'm giving her a break here.


	4. Brothers in Arms (Josh and Charlie)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh and Charlie chat about future prospects.

Josh’s brow furrowed as C.J. took Donna way, and he watched the pair until they vanished through the crowd. He was so focused that he didn’t notice Charlie sit down next to him.

“Josh,” he said.

“Charlie, hey,” Josh said, turning in his seat. “Having a good time?”

The young man looked at him, remembering the first time he'd gone to a bar with Josh, and laughed, “Actually, yes. And hopefully no Secret Service intervention required this time.” He raised his glass and clinked it against the bottle Josh was holding.

“C.J. keeping you busy? Are you liking the work?”

“It’s a job,” Charlie said evasively.

Josh’s face turned serious, “I still have your resume. Even before all the additional work you’ve done for her, I’m ready, willing and able to hook you up.”

“I appreciate that, but I’ve got plans,” Charlie said. “You hook Donna up yet?”

“What?” Josh asked. “No.”

“You take this woman to Hawaii and you still won’t give her a job? Don’t make me open a can.”

“What can? Wait, no,” Josh said, raising his hands in supplication. “She told me she couldn’t work with me anymore.”

“Boy, did you screw that up,” Charlie noted.

Josh shrugged, “It’s not that bad.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, anyway, she already has a job in the upcoming Administration,” Josh said. “Better than what I could offer her.”

Charlie calculated, “East Wing? Working for Mrs. Santos?”

“Chief of Staff,” he confirmed.

“That’s a good job,” Charlie noted.

“Yeah,” Josh agreed. “What can I say? They bonded.”

“I can see that,” his friend noted. “Maybe that’ll work in your favor, absence making the heart grow fonder and all that. And she doesn’t have the pressure of working with your ugly ass anymore.”

“Hey!” he objected, “Anyway, I fully intend to work with her again.”

“Yeah, that’ll happen,” Charlie’s sarcasm was clear. “She’s finally out of your shadow. There is no way you’re going to get her to work for you again.”

Josh took a drink and smiled, “Who said anything about her working for me?”

“You. Working for Donna.”

“In a heartbeat. I’m thinking she makes a Congressional run in Wisconsin in a few years, maybe leverage that into a Senate bid. After that - who knows?”

Charlie looked at him, his eyes calculating, “Really?”

“You don’t think she can do it?” Josh said, a challenge ringing in his voice.

“No, she can definitely do it. And she’ll be great at it,” he said. “Just make sure you give me a call, I’ll come help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see Josh trying to be a big brother to Charlie, something that went away after Sorkin left. This is just a short scene that follows up Charlie talking with Donna in "Transition". I also love the idea from the Donna Moss twitter account about her future plans.


	5. Missed Opportunities (Donna and Will)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna and Will catch up.

Donna returned from the ladies’ room and flopped down next to Will, “So…”

“Hey,” he replied. “I don’t know if I remembered to congratulate you guys.”

“Thanks,” she said. “Not the win you expected, huh?”

“Any win that leaves the Democrats in the White House,” Will said. “And we picked up the House. Not a bad year, all told.”

“The year was pretty awful,” Donna said, “and the result was bittersweet. But we got there in the end.”

“Losing in the primaries flat out sucked,” Will agreed. He started picking at the label to his beer, “My daily mauling at the hands of the snarling beast of the press corps hasn’t been the highlight of my political career either.”

“Tell me about it,” she said. “But I still can’t thank you enough for everything you did for me. I owe you so much.”

“Best decision I made during that whole campaign,” he shrugged. “Granted the rest of the staff was barely past puberty, but you were incredible. I’m glad one of us at least ended up on the top step of the podium in the end.”

“You know Will,” Donna said, “I’m sure there’s a place, if you want a job - I mean, I can talk to someone -“

“To Josh.”

“Yes,” she conceded, “to Josh.”

“You know he hates me,” Will said.

“He does not,” she protested. “He just… he never worked with you enough to trust you.”

“To my eternal regret, I’m sure,” Will said. “I realize that sounds facetious, but I mean it. I know how far he’ll go for his friends.”

Donna sighed, “I’m sorry. That’s my fault.”

“It’s his fault you were there for me to scoop up,” Will noted, “And it’s mine that I tried to use you against him.”

“I knew Vice President Russell wasn’t a good enough. So did you,” 

Will finished his beer and sat there for a moment. “Yeah. I look at being dragooned into the Communications job, including I may add, having to help organize the wedding of the President’s daughter, as my time of suffering in Purgatory to expiate that particular sin.”

Donna sipped her own drink, “Do you ever wonder… I mean, remember when I asked if it would’ve been appropriate if you and I had… you know… and you said you were flattered. And I was thinking about our dinners on the campaign trail.”

“Nothing would have happened,” he declared. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re attractive and smart and funny, but I don’t think either of us were interested in a campaign fling. And I’d earned enough wrath from the Bartlet staff to let myself be a guided missile strike against Josh Lyman.”

“You might choose to remember that I’m the one who likes you.”

“Yes, but if you had slept with me, it wouldn’t have been because you did. It would because you were trying to hurt Josh Lyman, trying to convince yourself you were past your feelings for Josh Lyman, or to punish yourself over your feelings about betraying Josh Lyman - which, I might add, you hadn’t.”

“I was the one who liked you,” Donna said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

“You liked me. You loved Josh,” he said. “You’ve never been cryptic.”

“I guess not,” she said, her eyes lowered. She then smiled, “So how did your classified, nonpublic and poorly defined thing go?”

“Still poorly defined,” he admitted.

“Well, give Kate my best,” Donna said with smirk, seeing Will’s startled look. “You’re not all that cryptic either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, it's sometimes hard to like Will. His noble intentions when he's introduced give way to a political operative more pragmatic than Josh ever was. He calls Josh to his campaign office about running a clean campaign and then tries to use Donna against him. 
> 
> By the end, tho', I feel he's paid his dues, and his conversation with Donna in "The Cold" was fun


	6. A Time of Confidences (Josh and Toby)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh receives a phone call from Toby. It's awkward.

He felt his Blackberry buzz in his pocket. He let out a soft curse and fished it out. “Josh Lyman,” he answered.

“Josh?”

He covered his other ear with his hand to try to hear over the din, “Toby? Is that you?”

“It’s really loud on your end. Where are you?”

“Hawk and Dove - why don’t you come on by? We’ve got most of the old gang here.” At that, Josh caught C.J.’s face, which had gone stony as soon as he said the name of the former Communications Director. “Oh, yeah. Right. Maybe some other time.”

“Sure, as soon as I get out.”

Josh got up from the table, “I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do? I owe you.”

There was silence for a few moments. “No,” he said, finally.

“Seriously, Toby, I owe you - or Bob, but whatever. Do you want me to put in a good word with the President-Elect?”

“No,” Toby said again. “Just… look out for Andy for me. It was a rough race.”

“Will do. You know, Amy got tagged as Director of Legislative Affairs, so she’s already got a friend in the administration.”

“I heard that,” the gruff voice said, “Is that going to be a problem for you?”

Josh pushed through the doors into the brisk November air. “I’ll handle it. Hey, I got Sam for Deputy.”

“Good,” he said, “you’re going to need someone to rely on.” 

“Yeah,” Josh admitted. “Listen, I wish… I’m sorry you won’t be there with us.”

“Yeah?” 

“I’m sorry for a lot of stuff.”

“Don’t,” Toby said, “Just don’t. You did what you had to.” 

“Yeah, well…”

“Where were you last week?” Toby asked suddenly, “I tried calling, a couple days after the funeral.”

“I, uh, didn’t have my phone on me.”

“Really? Was it surgically removed?”

Josh stared down the street, absently watching the cars. “I went on vacation.”

“You?”

“Yeah. Sam’s orders.”

“I’m not sure you have a grasp on the new hierarchy,” Toby said, “You do realize that he doesn’t get to give you orders, right?”

“I was in a bad place,” Josh said, his thoughts going dark at the memory. He still owed Otto an apology. “Sam’s acceptance was contingent on my going away.”

“Huh,” said Toby, “did you go somewhere nice?”

“Hawaii,” Josh admitted.

“Couldn’t take me with you?”

“Legally, no, I’m fairly sure that would violate terms of your bail.”

There was another pause, before Toby asked, “So who’d you take?”

“Who said I took anyone?” Josh said.

“You don’t go to Hawaii alone, Josh. You might go to Vegas or Atlantic City. Maybe New York. Not Hawaii,” Toby theorized. “Clearly you didn’t take Sam. And you don’t have that many friends. And running a presidential campaign doesn’t leave much time for starting a relationship.”

“Sam specified a beach,” Josh said.

“You went with Donna.” Toby concluded. “Congratulations are in order, I suppose.”

“Thanks?”

“She is no longer in your employ. You are both consenting adults, although in your case that is a technicality. I am well aware that you bear no small amount of affection for this woman, and I choose to presume, despite knowledge of your past dalliances, that you have each other’s best interests at heart.”

Josh got quiet, “I love her, Toby.”

“So I said,” Toby replied. “What’s the problem?”

“Since they found out, everyone’s been warning me of the seven kinds of hell I’ll suffer if I hurt her again,” Josh said, “I never want to. I hate that I did. I don't know if I'm strong enough to lose her again. I don’t want to end up like Leo and Jenny or, or -”

“Me and Andy, yes,” finished Toby. “I don’t know what to tell you. You gotta get out of your own head, it’s going to mess you up.”

“Yeah.”

“Do the work. Show up,” Toby said, “Grand gestures are fine, but you gotta do the work. Be there at the end of the day for her. Donna’s a smart girl, she’ll understand better than Jenny the hours and the issues you're gonna face. But if you want this to last, you gotta be there and do the damn work to keep it going.”

“Josh?” Donna was standing at the door to the bar, “Are you all right?”

“’s Toby,” Josh said to her, indicating the phone.

“Tell him I said hi,” she said, “and then come inside. You’re absence is a little conspicuous.”

“Be right there,” he said. He turned back to the conversation with Toby, “Donna says hi. And that I should probably get back inside. I’ll call you later in the week, O.K.?”

“O.K.,” Toby said.

“And Toby?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Toby. Poor Richard Schiff. The Space Shuttle storyline could have worked, but it needed a defter hand. The scene in "Drought Conditions" where the two fight is underrated, I think - Toby taking out his frustrations at his later brother, Josh on edge because Josh spent the last two season on edge. I wanted Toby to give some brotherly advice, now that they've (mostly) made up.


	7. Off the Record (Donna and Danny)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny may be moving on from the life of a reporter, but he can't help digging.

Danny Concannon walked up behind Josh and Donna as they re-entered the bar. 

“Is this a private party, or can any old muckraker stand a round?” he asked as he followed them to the table. 

“If you’re buying,” Josh said, “we’re drinking. Have a seat.”

After individual greetings for the gang, Danny pulled a chair over to the end of the table next to C.J., who he greeted with a kiss on the cheek. He noted, almost absently, that Josh and Donna had sat down very close, hip to hip, and their hands were joined under the table, even as they joined in separate conversations with their friends. 

“Congratulations again,” he said to Josh, “it was a helluva win.”

Josh looked back at him, “Are we on the record?”

“There is no more record,” Danny said. “I am getting out of the newspaper business.”

“Really?” Josh was startled. “Wow!”

“Couldn’t handle it anymore,” the man said, “It may be a mid-life crisis, but yeah, I am done with the record.”

“Wow.”

“So,” Danny said, “helluva win.”

Josh’s head sank a bit, “We got lucky.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. It’s one for the history books.”

“History won’t give a damn if we can’t get off the ground in January,” Josh said. 

C.J. broke off her conversation with Carol to say,“I think World War Three starting up in Central Asia might have had a slightly larger impact on history. All told, you may want to count your blessings.”

Josh looked as if he’d been struck. “I didn’t - I mean, I understand why…”

Danny glanced quickly over at Josh. “Hey Donna, I still owe the table a pitcher or two - can you give me a hand?”

Donna turned, diverting her attention from Ed sharing a memory or a particularly disastrous appropriations bill. “Sure,” she said.

As the pair walked to the bar, Danny turned to her, “So what’s wrong with Josh?”

She blinked in response. “He’s fine.”

“Really? That isn’t the man I knew. Where’s the sarcasm? The wit? The ego that shows up on NOAA satellite pictures? I’ve never seen him back down from C.J. that quickly. He and Santos have every right to be worried about Kazakhstan screwing over their first hundred days.”

Donna paused for a second. “He did just get back from vacation, and I promise you he was doing absolutely fine then. But he’s never done that before - allowed himself to wind completely down and actually relax. Not once since I’ve known him. Maybe he just needs a little time to get back up to speed.”

“He lost Leo. Toby’s going to jail. There’s a huge gulf between him and his friends at the White House. Look at him…”

She turned her head back to the table where C.J. was talking, still fervently defending the Bartlet administration’s efforts, and Josh was… shrinking back. He looked afraid. He looked vulnerable.

“…the Josh Lyman I knew wasn’t scared of anything. That man looks lost.”

“Well maybe he wasn’t ready to be attacked when he came out for a fun night with friends,” Donna said, rising to his defense. She caught a look of concern in Danny’s eyes, and the spoke again, her voice quiet. “But he always carries the fear of losing the people he loves.”

“O.K., there is that. I get that he’s still reeling from Leo, especially how it happened, on Election Day. Now he’s going into a new administration, and I heard he got Sam Seaborn to come back, which is good, but everyone else is either someone like Amy or Lou where he’s gone ten rounds against more than once, or people he’s known for less than a year.”

“He’ll have Margaret too,” Donna said, the correction made more for her benefit than Danny’s.

“Glad to hear it. But this is Josh we’re talking about. He’s about to take a job he knows is a hundred times harder than anything he’s ever done before, a job that’s going to push him in ways he’s never been pushed before. He thought he’d have Leo to get him through it, and now he doesn’t. And he won’t have Toby, and I really hope he doesn’t have C.J. because the job - the one he's going to have - is tearing her apart and I’m selfish about not wanting that to happen. And you know he’s going to throw his everything he’s got into it, because that’s what Josh does.”

Donna nodded, her eyes worried. “He’ll have Sam and Margaret. And I won’t be too far, either.”

“I’m telling you this because he’s my friend too and because I know you care about him and you two have something going on right now that I hope is very, very good for you both. But I’ve talked to people from the campaign trail, I know you two had more downs than ups this past year. I just think if you see more problems than positives on the horizon, let him down gently now, before he has the entire weight of the world on his shoulders”

“Danny, I appreciate your candor. He and I are still figuring things out, sure, but no matter what, I promise you Josh won’t be alone in this,” Donna said, “We’ll make sure he knows he has our support.”

“Even if you two break up?” Danny said pointedly, “Because if C.J. is any indication of the rest of your mutual friends, I suspect that everyone’s been taking a turn being your big brother and letting him know they’ll kick his ass if he does you wrong.”

“He won’t,” she insisted. “I know he won’t. Even if whatever this is… wasn’t… anymore.”

“You may know that,” he pointed out, “but I don’t know if C.J. or the others know that. And I see a guy over there who may be scared to death that he’s going to mess up and lose one of the last, best friends he has left.”

Donna froze as she went to pick up the set of glasses the bartender had placed in front of her. “He’s not going to lose my friendship,” she declared, her face intent. “Ever.”

“I’m just saying, maybe you want to make sure he knows,” Danny said. “Take it from a guy who is ideally at the culmination of a seven year quest to be with the love of his life. I’m rooting for you two. What I saw outside your apartment four years ago looked pretty real to me, even with both of you trying to hide your feelings like idiots. You just need to figure out if you still feel the same way you did back then.”

Donna’s eyes sought Josh’s face. He still looked slightly worried, but C.J. had seemingly finished her defense and was smiling again, caught up in someone else’s anecdote. He glanced over to the bar, and his visage changed. She say him staring at her, and it was the same expression as that night in the snow - _“You look amazing”_ \- what she now was certain was equal parts desire and affection. And she wasn’t in a ball gown, or a gorgeous little red dress, but in a bulky sweater she'd gotten for Christmas from her mother. But it was the same expression.

She felt the corners of her mouth rise up in response, and Josh answered her smile with one of his own, dimples and all.

She turned back to Danny, who had picked up the pitchers of beer. “I feel the same. Only more than ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not entirely please with this one, but there's a compare & contrast here I wanted to touch on between Danny & C.J. and Josh & Donna. Danny has also been Josh's friend longer than most people we see in the show (based on the Fulbright Scholarship comment) and I feel it's time someone was willing to protect him.


	8. All in the Family (Josh and Zoey)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoey Bartlet and Charlie have some news - and words - for Josh.

Josh was still reeling from C.J.’s vehement defense of President Bartlet’s Kazakhstan policy. It was such a testament to the distance that had grown between them. There had been times in the campaign where it had even felt the White House was working against him and the Santos campaign. He knew better, but he kept coming back to Toby accusing him of abandoning them in their time of need and felt residual guilt at everything that they’d had to go through after he left. But he’d had to go, just as he’d come to accept that Donna had to leave as well.

He remembered Leo’s words. _”People move on.”_

He looked towards the bar, where Donna was talking with Danny. He was still entranced by her, the passion in her eyes as she argued about… whatever they were talking about. He was probably telling her she was too good to tie herself to a neurotic, monomaniacal jerk who’d already chased her away once.

Josh saw her look back at him. He saw her smile, that amazing Donna smile. It struck him how much he missed her smiling at him this past year. A radiant, genuine smile from Donna was like coming home.

Yes, Leo, sometimes people did move on. And sometimes, if you were unbelievably and undeservedly lucky, they came back. He found himself smiling back at her.

He was so preoccupied he hadn’t noticed the first two well-dressed individuals enter the bar and start scanning the area. If he had, he probably would have assumed they were part of C.J.’s detail. He did notice the second pair, a man and a woman, and he recognized them and to which Bartlet family member they were assigned.

As if on cue, Zoe Bartlet came in, engaged in a conversation with Amy Gardner of all people. He felt himself tense up. He loved Zoe like a little sister, but he wasn’t sure he was up to sparring with Amy tonight, not after the shellacking he’d just taken from C.J..

He started to rise to say hello to the President’s daughter, but Charlie was there first, bursting off the bench to meet her halfway. Zoey responded by throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

“Hey Josh,” Amy greeted him, as Josh turned away, slightly embarrassed by the public display of affection, “I was over talking to Mrs. Bartlet and Zoey told me she was coming over, so I thought I’d tag along. Did you enjoy your time off?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his eyes darting back to the bar, “it felt weird, though.”

“I was going to say that it seemed very mature and responsible of you,” Amy remarked, “You looked like hell the last time I saw you.”

“Sam made me do it,” he admitted.

"Of course he did," she laughed, “One of these days, J, you'll find that your friends really do have your best interests at heart.”

At that point Zoey came in and almost tackled Josh in a hug. “Hi Josh!”

He awkwardly returned the hug, at which Amy excused herself to go talk with C.J. about something. Josh glanced over at Charlie. “Did she invite herself again?”

“What can I say, she misses me,” Charlie said, smiling, “And when she heard we were going out tonight, she insisted.”

Josh turned to the young woman who was giving them a disapproving look. “It’s good to see you, kid. Even better to see you happy.”

Zoey gave him a knowing look, “Well I hear you’ve had reason to be happy too. And I don’t mean professionally.”

Josh looked at her, “Doesn’t anyone around here have anything better to do than gossip about my personal life?

“Well, I take an active interest,” the third of the First Daughters said with a wicked smile. “After all, you were the one who set me up with Charlie.”

“I introduced you, that’s all!” Josh protested. “I desire neither credit nor blame for wherever the vagaries of love may take you. ”

“That’s too bad,” Charlie said, “Because the vagaries of our love may be infringing on your forthcoming schedule.”

“You two are too old to need a chaperone,” Josh said, “you’re almost old enough to be thinking about-”

Both Charlie and Zoey looked one another and smiled. Josh’s eyes travelled down to their joined hands, where he caught the light reflecting off a ring on Zoey’s left hand. “Really?” he asked, “Wow. When? How?”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘congratulations’,” Zoey said, teasing him. “And it’s been a couple weeks.”

Josh shook Charlie’s hand vigorously before leaning down to give Zoey a kiss on the cheek and another hug. “Congratulations! I’m really, really happy for you two.” He turned to Charlie, “Did you ask the President first?”

“I did,” came the response.

“Wow,” Josh said, his face full of awe at the man’s courage. “So did you set a date?”

“We haven’t picked one,” Zoey noted, “After Ellie - we really didn’t want a White House wedding, and we wanted to give them some space before announcing. We figure we can take our time.”

“Well, if you change your mind,” Josh laughed, “I can probably make some calls.”

“I think we’re good,” Charlie said, “but I need a favor.”

“Anything,” Josh replied, “you know that, man.”

“Good,” the young man noted. “I need you to stand up for me.”

“Really?” Josh was taken aback. “I mean, sure, if you want. I do look good in a tux. I think I can handle second groomsman from the right.”

“I was thinking best man.”

Josh’s jaw dropped. “You gotta have a best friend better suited…”

“I’ve been in the White House for over six years - of course that’s where most of my friends are. It’s really down to you or C.J.. But you were the one who gave me a chance - you pushed me to be the President’s body man. You introduced me and Zoey. We’ve done shenanigans. You’ve been the big brother I never had.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Josh stammered out.

“Say yes,” Charlie reached out his hand, and when Josh took it, pulled him into a one-armed hug. 

“You’re a good man, Charlie Young,” Josh said, “You turned out all right. I’m proud of you, even if you won’t work for me in January, and I’d be honored to stand by your side.”

“Now that that’s settled,” Zoey said, her face spread into a grin, “we’ve heard some rumors about you and Donna and Hawaii.”

“Never mind.”

“Joshua Lyman,” she said, pouting, “you can’t hold out on me now. Do you know how long I’ve shipped you two?”

“What the hell does that mean?” Josh asked.

“You probably don’t want to know,” Charlie noted. “Just know that she’s been been positively giddy since she found about your vacation. Talk to her, please, or she’ll bug me about it later. And I still have access to your cell number.”

“Charlie!” Zoey whined, “O.K., he’s probably right. I just never thought you two would ever get together, but when Charlie told me about you all going to get her on Inauguration Day, and it was one of the most romantic things ever. And then you flew to be with her in Germany. When do you finally ask her out?”

Josh looked at her eager expression, “It just sort of happened, and we’re still figuring things out.”

“Figure it out quicker,” Zoey said impatiently. “You two have been in love forever and you know it.”

Josh’s eyes sought out Donna, who had returned to the table and was distributing glasses that Danny was filling from the pitchers. “It’s still new. I appreciate the encouragement, but she may yet remember all the stupid things I do at some point.”

Zoey made a dismissive noise. “She’s seen you at your worst, and she loved you through it. And if it helps, you can consider it a presidential order.”

“Oh god, tell me you didn’t.”

“Oh yes,” Charlie said, confirming his fears, “she did.”

Josh felt the blood draining from his face. “You told your father?”

Zoey laughed, “I’m pretty sure it was in the morning briefing when you stopped returning phone calls and then Amy and Sam started showing up for your appointments.”

Josh face took on sickly pallor. 

“C’mon, Josh,” Zoey said, watching his expression. “You know we all love you. Of course we’re going to want you to be happy! Why do you think C.J. set this up? We’re all here to celebrate!”

“To celebrate the election…” Josh said distractedly, his mind preoccupied with the idea that the West Wing was abuzz with the news..

“Well, yeah, but you don’t think every person here isn’t happy for you two?” Zoey pointed around the table, and a few of their friends raised glasses in response.

“To be honest, I thought they all just wanted to threaten to kick my ass if I hurt her again.” Josh’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Well that’s a load of crap, right Charlie?”

“Don’t look at me,” Charlie held up his hands, “I was fine once I heard Donna had a good job lined up.”

Zoey walked up to Josh and took his head in her hands. “You can be a real doofus from time to time, Joshua Lyman. But take it from someone who has watched you since she was a gangly teen on that first campaign… you are an incredibly sweet and loving man. You couldn’t deliberately hurt Donna anymore than you could, I don’t know, privatize social security or betray a friend.”

Josh looked at her, sadly, but when he tried to say something, she pinched his cheeks. “Hey!” he exclaimed, but it came out garbled.

She released his cheeks and gave him a playful swat to the side of his head. “So snap out of it, stop brooding and go say hi to your girlfriend.”

“She’s not - I mean, we haven’t defined…”

Zoey punched him in the arm, “Don’t make me tell my dad. He’ll call you both into the Oval and you know he will take steps.”

“Well we wouldn’t want to upset the President,” said Donna, having made her way back around the table to him. “I didn’t get a chance to offer my congratulations to you. I can’t bring to tell you how happy for you both.”

She leaned over to give Charlie a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. When she did the same for Zoey, the younger woman whispered something in Donna’s ear. Donna smiled and whispered something back, and both of them looked over at Josh. 

Josh found their respective gazes rather discomfiting, and he could feel his ears getting quite warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't verify it, but based on Charlie's talk with President Bartlet in season 6, "The Wedding" was meant to be between Zoey & Charlie, and I imagine scheduling for Psych got in the way. We don't get much of Charlie's personal life, but I can't see Josh not being in his wedding party - he was, after all, the person most responsible for the pair getting together, as well as a "blood donor" to their relationship.


	9. A Long Delayed Answer (Donna and Amy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you in love with Josh?" Amy had asked years before. She finally gets her answer.

Zoey leaned over and whispered to Donna, “Just so you know, my father expects to get the third dance, after Josh and your father, of course.”

“That’s a bit premature,” Donna whispered back, “but if it happens, tell him it’s a date.”

Donna watched concern cloud Josh’s face as she and Zoey shared whispers. He sank onto the bench and took a long drink from his beer, trying to hide the blush creeping over his face. It was endearing the way they man could go on Capitol Beat or Meet the Press and argue with anyone about politics and policy, be it the President’s agenda or the campaign, but when the conversation was turned to him, he became a teenage boy trying to hide from a school picture.

She strode over to him and quite deliberately sat down in his lap, leaned over, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him very seriously. It took a moment to overcome his embarrassment and respond, but when he did, he returned the kiss with the same passion he’d shown in Hawaii, and his arms encircled her waist.

They broke the kiss several seconds later when the sounds of laughter, cheering and the obligatory shout of “Get a room!” (Larry) took them out of the moment. They pulled back, just staring at each other for the moment, and then turned back to their friends. 

Amy was watching them through calculating eyes. “I guess this means I should let Sarah Potrero not to expect your call, huh?” She turned to Donna, “I see that you really ‘got’ Josh after all.”

“Hey!” Josh barked, “What the hell? There’s no way that was called for.” Donna could feel his legs tense beneath her, and his hands went to the side of the chair. If her bodyweight wasn’t holding him down, Josh would have been up in Amy’s face at that moment.

Donna kissed him once more and stood up. “I appreciate that you want to defend my honor, and that’s very sweet, but Amy and I just have a minor misunderstanding. I won’t be gone long. Save my seat.”

He gave her a slightly confused look, but her kiss had managed to short circuit his anger for the moment. She grabbed a couple glasses and filled them from the pitcher, and handed one to Amy. “Let’s find a booth and chat, O.K.?”

The woman took the beer, and then a quick glance at all the people at the table staring at the two of them. “Sure.”

The bar had emptied a bit when the Secret Service had escorted Zoey in, so Donna was able to locate a suitable location that was private enough for what needed to be said.

“Well,” Amy slid into the booth, “I have to say I felt a bit targeted by that little display over there.”

“It wasn’t meant like that. Josh has been getting some well meaning but ultimately terrible counsel from his friends,” Donna explained, “and I was just trying to remind him that I’m on his side.”

“And on his lap, as it seems. The fact that I used to be with him didn’t figure into your calculations? At least I finally got an answer from you.”

Donna shrugged, “I can’t say that wasn’t part of it. A few years late, but I guess the answer is yes.”

“So,” Amy said, “you and Josh.”

Donna sat down across from her, “A recent and not perfectly defined development.”

“It looked fairly well defined a minute ago,” Amy leaned forward, holding her beer between her hands. “Listen, I’ve been working with the Santos transition team. People talk. I heard about Election Day. I know about Hawaii.” 

“You were trying to set Josh up after Leo’s funeral,” Donna pointed out.

Amy nodded, “Yes, because I was concerned for him.”

Donna gave her a suspicious look.

“You aren’t the only one who cares for him, you know. He’s infuriating, and he hides far too often behind a thin veneer of false machismo, and he can be absolutely brutal when he wants to win something, but you never doubt that he’s trying to do the right thing. He’s got a good heart.”

“Yes, he does.”

“You’re the one who told me about Josh and people dying on him and him thinking it was his fault. I knew he’d picked Leo and he had to be blaming himself and that he was going to do what he always did when he couldn’t process his emotions like the emotionally stunted little boy he is and he’d be throwing himself at his work.”

Donna nodded slowly. He had been, at that. After she’d come to his apartment, the night after he’d gone to recruit Sam, she’d had one of the most blissful night’s rest in years, and he’d gotten up after a few hours and had started working. It hadn’t been until he was on vacation, until they’d talked, about them, their long road to each other, their worries and hopes for the future, that she’d looked over and no longer saw the strains of grief and concern on his face as he slept.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m not jealous. I feel better knowing that he has someone in his life, for sex, civilized conversation, or something more,” Amy insisted, “I just don’t like being lied to.”

***

_**Earlier that morning…** _

_“Good morning, Mrs. Santos,” Donna had said, passing the secret service detail to enter the temporary residence of the President-elect and his family._

_“Welcome back,” Helen said as she wiped off some syrup from her son’s face. “Did you enjoy your vacation?”_

_“I did, ma’am,” she replied, looking somewhat apologetic about the form of address. “Thank you for giving me the chance to go.”_

_“You did an amazing job for us, it was the least we could do.” Helen said, sending Peter off to go play with his sister. “I do hope you can give a little more notice next time.”_

_“I will,” Donna said. “It was as much a surprise to me, I promise you.”_

_“Oh, I think we were slightly more surprised,” replied Helen, “since we didn’t know anything was going on between you and Josh. Ronna had to explain it to Matt, who’s a bit upset.”_

_“I’m sorry?”_

_“Matt told me he asked you that day if Josh was seeing anyone, and you said you didn’t know. Hours later you were on a plane with him,” Helen pointed out_

_“I-“_

_“It’s O.K., Donna. He’s more upset that you didn’t think you could trust him, and frankly, I feel the same. You’ve shared our lives for several months. You’ve been my confidante, counselor and boon companion for much of it. It doesn’t seem fair if that’s a one way street.”_

_“I apologize, Helen,” Donna said, looking flustered. “Josh and I were friends for a long time, and then we weren’t and we were fighting on opposite sides in the primaries and then we were on this campaign and becoming friends again, and suddenly we were something more, but I wasn’t sure what it all meant. Not really. Hawaii helped a lot… I promise you I won’t let it interfere with the work I do for you.”_

_Helen stepped forward and hugged her. “Donna, you don’t have to apologize. We just want you to know we understand. Matt’s going to have the same talk with Josh - although I picture his talk involving a bottle of whisky. I’m going to be relying on you a lot in the coming years, and I just want you to know I’m here for you too.”_

***

“It wasn’t a lie,” Donna tried to explain. “We were… I didn’t know what we were at that point. Yes, we’d been together a couple times, but I didn’t have any claim on him. And Sarah is a sweetheart.”

“Do you honestly believe that?” asked Amy. “You don’t think I always was cognizant of you when he and I were together? You don’t think it burned a little when he would just offhandedly mention your name when we were out? Didn’t you know that you were the reason Joey Lucas wouldn’t consider dating him? You’ve always had a claim on at least a piece of his heart.”

“I tried to get him to ask Joey out,” Donna said. “Repeatedly.” 

“And you don’t think she saw right through that? Listen, you and Josh have been one of the worst kept secrets in the Beltway for years.”

“But we weren’t-” Donna looked away, flustered. “I was never anything but supportive of his relationships. I just wanted him to be happy.”

“You weren’t noticeably unsupportive of me, but then I can be a little single minded, and I wouldn’t have let you get in my way anyway,” Amy pointed out. “Were there any others? In eight years?”

Donna looked down, “Outside of fantasies of the LemonLymon groupies, no, not really.”

“Why do you think that is?” Amy asked pointedly, “C’mon, Donna, you say you ‘get’ Josh. He’s not unattractive. He’s in a position of power in the White House. He could have had a new girl on his arm at every formal event. Instead, from what I’ve heard, more often than not, you were.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Amy looked Donna directly, “I’d rather this never get back to him, and I will deny it if it does, because I am going to have to work under him and I’m not entirely comfortable with that and I refuse to show him any weakness. But the truth is, I want Josh to be happy, too. He’s a good man with a kind heart. You being Chief of Staff to the First Lady means you can finally meet him on his terms. If you two are going to be a thing, I just want to say I’m in your corner.”

Donna’s face showed a hint of surprise. “Thank you?”

“Besides,” Amy said, “I do have to work with him, and a happy Josh will likely be one where that is significantly easier.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listening to the West Wing Weekly episode on "Commencement" informed this quite a bit. Also, Allison Janney accidentally calls Melissa Fitzgerald during the show, which was hilarious.


	10. Breaking News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reporter wants the story of Josh & Donna

Everyone made their way back to the long table. There were still old stories being bantered about, and a general feeling of camaraderie suffused the room.

Josh raised his glass to the table, “It really was an honor to serve with you, and I can only hope that we have people of equal vision, drive and conviction…”

“Or at least the ability to turn a cliché,” called Will, leaning back.

“All right, it was an honor to serve with most of you,” Josh continued, casting a withering glance at Will before flashing a crooked smile, “And it should go without saying that if you want, we will find you a home in the West Wing.”

“Or the East Wing,” said Donna. “And I should note that I’m a helluva lot easier to work for than Josh.”

“Donna!”

She smiled at him, “Love you, Josh.”

He tried to glare at her, but she just kept staring at him, and he found himself chuckling. “All right, a home in the West Wing, where you would be fighting to continue and expand upon the work of the last eight years, or the East Wing, where you can plan out tea parties and attend tedious conferences and symposia.”

“Josh!”

“Love you too, dear,” he grinned, leaning over to give her a quick kiss on her cheek. “But seriously, we mean it. You have shown yourselves to be true of heart and steady of purpose. Either of us would be lucky to have you.” He held up his glass again, “To eight years of hard earned success, to the extended family of President Bartlet.”

The sound of clanking glasses reverberated across the table, and Josh looked out with a mixture of pride and love at the people before him. There were faces missing, of course, as there was no way President or Mrs. Bartlet could attend, and Toby, of course, would be persona non grata for a while even after he served his term. _Leo_. 

Sam was supposed to have been here, but Josh understood that there were intricacies involved with being affianced. With that thought he stole a glance at Donna and felt butterflies in his stomach. He shook himself and took a drink to complete the toast.

Soon it was time to go back to reality. It was a weekday, after all, and a short week at that, with Thanksgiving that Thursday. People were getting up, giving hugs, tossing a few bucks on the table for the wait staff. Inevitably there was a queue forming around Josh and Donna, as last congratulations were offered, for both the election and coming to their senses about each other. 

Soon everyone had started filing out the door to a couple cabs that Margaret had called when she’d sensed things were winding down, leaving just Josh, Donna, and C.J..

“Where’s Danny?” Josh asked. “And when were you going to let us know that was a thing?”

C.J. looked around and spotted the former reporter having an animated conversation with a woman, one she quickly identified as a past associate of his from the Post, Melissa Anderson. Whatever they were discussing, Danny seemed to be on the defensive, and trying to physically impose himself between her and the now nearly empty table.

“This isn’t what we do!” Danny was saying, his voice raised.

“No,” the woman replied, “this isn’t what you would have done. I’m just trying to write something better than what the _Times_ is going with.”

“Missy, the Washington Times is going to spit out a load of conspiracy fueled yellow journalism that no one in the know will take seriously,” Danny argued, “but you go and publish in the _Post_ and it derails the Santos transition for a cycle and maybe takes something beautiful that’s trying to be in this too-often heartless hellhole of a town and drowns it in the creek.”

“Would you rather I wrote about you and the current Chief of Staff?” Missy responded hotly, “Because you know there were rumors about that as well.”

“And you won’t run that because you know that’s a load of crap. She wouldn’t date me when she was Press Secretary and I still broke more stories that they wanted under wraps than any three other guys in that room, so any affection I had for her never affected my job.”

C.J. walked over, drawing herself to her full height to maximize the intimidation factor. “Is there a problem?”

Missy looked more relieved than cowed. “Hey C.J., tell Danny that someone’s going to break a story about the incoming Chiefs of Staff being a couple, and that they should prefer a heartwarming piece in my paper over a Fox News panel discussion about sex scandals in the White House.”

“It doesn’t need to be either,” C.J. said. 

“It’s going to break,” Missy pointed out. “You can’t quash it anymore.”

C.J. was giving the woman her coldest “let it drop” look as Josh approached, with Donna not far behind him.

“Quash what?” he asked.

“Ask your assistant,” the reported told him.

Josh looked confused. “Otto? He was reassigned last week, he’s going to work with Lou in Communications. Which, as I say it out loud, probably brings its own problems. In any event, I haven’t had a chance to hire a new one yet.” 

“She means me,” Donna said. She had tried to hide behind Josh when she’d first seen Missy, remembering a particularly painful interview when she’d gotten hired to be spokeswoman for the Santos/McGarry campaign.

“Well I don’t see why we need to stand here and let you be insulted by a job title you outgrew years before you left it,” Josh insisted, offering his arm to her.

“Listen to me, please,” Missy said, raising her voice and causing the few remaining patrons to look at them. “You have to get ahead of this.”

“No one here has done anything wrong,” C.J. stated evenly.

“It won’t look that way! You had to shut down rumors more than once in the first term, especially when Josh was shot at Rosslyn. And you know how close things got to exploding after Gaza. The Deputy Chief of Staff abandons his post to go spend several days with the one survivor of a terrorist attack. It’s probably for the best Donna turned down all those interview requests when she got home, because most press I talked to wanted to run with the forbidden love angle.”

Donna’s hand flew to cover her mouth. She remembered Annabeth talking about a Movie of the Week, and now realized the “girl returning from a tragedy with a message of peace” was probably just the backdrop to a clichéd love triangle. Of course the press knew Josh had gone - the Palestinians had known where to find him. And Colin was a photojournalist, with his own friends and contacts. “What have you heard?” she asked Missy.

“The Washington Times has a couple sources, from the airplane and Hawaii, who were able to identify you two. They also have witnesses from one of the second term Inauguration Balls, from some of your neighbors around the same time, an orderly who was assigned at Rammstein, and a couple unnamed former staffers. They’re playing it like you two had a secret love affair from at least the start of the second term, that you had a messy breakup a year ago and have just reconciled.”

C.J. stepped in, “All of which can be categorically denied, either by Will for us or the Santos transition, because it isn’t true.”

“You know it won’t matter, C.J.,” Missy countered, “when they have the narrative that Josh pushed Santos into the race out of spite because his ex was working for Russell. And that now they’re back together, he’s trying to get her on Senior Staff at the White House.”

“The idea Josh got Matthew Santos elected President out of spite is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Donna pointed out. “And I’m working for Mrs. Santos, not the President Elect. Their narrative doesn’t hold up.”

“Then why have your neighbors been interviewed by the FBI? I’ve got reports they’re in Wisconsin too, talking to your family.”

Josh began to rub his eyes, “That’s my fault.”

Donna looked at him. 

“Before we left,” he continued, “I wrote a memo to the President Elect, suggesting something a little wacky, but a thing I feel would ultimately be in the administration’s best interest.”

C.J. realized Josh had tried to do something incredibly sweet again, and looked at him with a mixture of pity and affection. “What did you do?”

“The President Elect values Donna’s opinions and insight quite a bit. And I realized we had more than one unnecessary battle in the last eight years because the President and Mrs. Bartlet got into conflict over issues. I just thought… if Donna had code word clearance, she might be able to better integrate the agendas on the two sides of the White House so I suggested she be given a secondary role as Senior Counselor to the President.”

He noticed Donna starting to object, “I know you said you couldn’t work for me. You would still report to the First Lady. You could choose to sit in Senior Staff, but I couldn’t tell you to do anything.” He paused, “It was just a crazy idea I had. I hadn’t even fleshed it out, but apparently the President Elect ran with it while we were gone.”

Missy broke in, “And now it’ll be spun that if you two break up again that it’ll set the whole administration in turmoil.”

“I would resign if I thought I was hurting the administration,” Donna said, her voice fierce.

“Like hell,” Josh interrupted her. “I’d leave first. And it’s all crap anyway. We never broke up because we were never together in the first place. Donna left because it was time for her to grow beyond what I could offer her, and a year later she’s become one of brightest stars in Democratic politics. No one can refute that. Let the _Times_ run whatever they wish - she’s stronger than anything that rag can dish out.”

Missy found herself smiling at the intensity of Josh’s defense. “But why give them anything? You two are in love. The real story could only help the administration, especially with how utterly adorable Matt and Helen Santos are.”

“Because it isn’t what we do,” Donna said, beating Josh to the punch. “The White House - and the Transition - does not comment on the personal lives of its staffers.”

Danny stepped in, “Told ya. I know you want to write this, and maybe if you keep at it, it’ll make up a couple chapters in the book you’ll write some day. Don’t stretch it on too long, though, I don’t know how many readers will put up with eight years of a couple dancing around each other.”

“Fine, I give up,” Missy said. “Off the record, why did it take so long?”

Josh took Donna’s hand and stared at her. “Sometimes that’s the problem with falling in love with your best friend…”

“When the one person you talk to everything about is the person you can’t talk to about the things you most need to say,” Donna finished Josh’s thought, returning his gaze with equal affection.

The reporter smiled. “Well, on the record, let me just say I’m glad things seem better.”

“On that, Ms. Anderson,” Donna said as Josh helped her into her coat, “I whole-heartedly agree. Just… give us time to work things out before writing anything, please.”

“How much time?”

“If it’s up to me,” Josh said, his arm moving behind Donna’s back, “the rest of our lives.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I created Missy Anderson for my "A Little Nudge" fic. They barely touched on the press Donna would have to face in "The Dover Test", when it would have been impossible to escape, and there's no way the press wouldn't have had a field day with Josh flying to Germany during the middle of the crisis to be with her. That a right leaning publication might save those stories to try to embarrass a new Democratic administration seemed plausible enough to go with.


End file.
